Come with me
by Asulli
Summary: What if Rory decided to go with Jess in season four? They go on a little road trip where Rory discovers more about Jess than she had ever known before then. He is different. She could count on him now...
1. What?

Author's Introduction: So this idea hit me on a road trip so I decided to write it. It takes place during the episode "Last weeks fights, this weeks tights" It is what happens if Rory did go with Jess. Review to let me know if it's worth continuing…

"_Come away with me…" Jess said calmly. It was all he wanted. He wanted to be with her, no matter what…_

_Jess had just asked Rory to come with him. Was he crazy? Probably, but he knew that he loved Rory and just wanted to be with her. He was known for acting quickly and changing his mind, but not this time. This time he had thought it through, he knew what he wanted…Rory._

"_I want to be with you, but not here, not this place, not Stars Hollow, we have to start fresh!" Jess said in a shaky voice._

"_There's nothing to start!" Rory exclaimed without thinking._

_Jess looked defeated but he continued, not giving up like last time. "But your packed, your stuff is all in boxes. Your ready, and I'm ready. I'm ready for this. You can count on me, I know you couldn't count on me before, but you can now, you can!"_

_Rory stared at him. "No!" another empty word._

"_Look, you know we're supposed to be together. I knew it the first time I saw you, two years ago and you know it too, I know you do!" Jess had never cared about losing a fight. But maybe it was because this fight was about something important to him._

"_No, no, no, no, no…" Rory threw the words at him. He had left, he had broken her heart. What did she owe this man? _

"_Don't say no just to make me stop talking or make me go away, only say no if you really don't want to be with me…" Jess had never before begged for the truth, but he did now. He begged and pleaded her…_

Rory shut her eyes tight. Her mind was in conflict with her heart. _'I know you couldn't count on me before, but you can now, you can!' _His words echoed in her head. He had said it in plain English. He wouldn't lie to her right? He was begging her. She had never seen Jess like this…so serious, so scared. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She looked back into his coffee brown eyes as they pleaded for an answer.

"Okay…" She said carefully. She noticed Jess's facial expression change.

"Okay?" He said the word hopefully. Rory nodded.

"Where are we going?" She asked giving him all he needed. A small smile appeared on his face.

"Wherever you want to go. We could just drive until we find someplace that is to our liking…" Jess said cautiously. He never really had a plan. He was always a "let's see where the road takes us" kind of guy.

"Sounds good." Rory said quietly. She still wasn't sure if this was what she truly wanted, but she'd find out soon enough.

Jess nodded and they began to pack Rory's things into his car. Once they got everything in, he opened the passenger door and gestured for Rory to get in. She smiled lightly and slid into his junky old car. He shut the door and got into the driver's seat. They began to drive, neither of them quite sure where they were going. The awkward silence lasted for a good ten minutes before Rory decided to speak first.

"So how'd you find me?" She asked in a pleasant conversational tone. Jess looked at her sideways as he drove.

"Luke, I kind of shook it out of him. He wasn't sure if it was okay, but I had to see you…talk to you, I just…" He trailed off and turned his attention back to the road. He noticed that Rory fell silent.

"Thank you…" Jess said softly. He kept his eyes on the road, avoiding any eye contact. He was feeling stupid for even saying it.

"For what?" Rory questioned. What had she done for him to thank her?

"For coming with me…" He sighed and glanced over at her, giving her a soft smile. His smile just seemed to melt Rory's heart. She smiled back at him. It was moments like these that reminded her of why he had always occupied her heart. Why say thanks? He could have gone on forever without saying it and she wouldn't have felt anything of it. But somehow this small act put Rory's mind to rest and she knew that this was what she wanted.


	2. I can't read your mind

They had been driving for a couple hours now. Jess glanced at the digital numbers of the clock on the dash. It was midnight. He looked over at Rory and smiled. She had her knees brought up to her chest, her eyes closed. He reached over and rested his hand on her knee.

"You dozing off?" He asked quietly. He already knew the answer but he asked anyway.

"No." Rory replied sleepily, keeping her eyes closed. Jess laughed lightly.

"You want to stop at a motel or something? You could sleep in a bed." He spoke softly so that he wouldn't fully wake her up.

"Mmhmm…" Rory was out of it. Jess got off at the next exit and pulled into the first motel he saw. He locked the doors to his car with Rory safely inside. He went up and paid for a room. The man gave him the room keys and Jess was on his way.

He unlocked the room door and went back to his car to carry Rory inside. As he lifted her, she threw her arms around his neck. She was still asleep and he laid her gently on the bed. He pulled her shoes off and placed them on the floor. He pulled the covers on over her and smiled at her.

He pushed a strand of her hair from her face and leaned down, kissing her on the forehead. Jess pulled off his shirt, and went over to the couch to lay down. He stared at the ceiling for a couple minutes before he reluctantly closed his eyes. It wasn't long before he reopened them, hearing Rory stir. She was breathing heavily as if she were scared of something.

"You okay Ror?" Jess called out a little too loudly. He had already shut his eyes again.

"Where are you?" Rory called out to the darkness.

"Couch." It was the only word Jess was able to get out. He was dozing off again.

"Could you come here…?" Rory asked. Her voice sounded frightened as if she had been having a bad dream or something. Jess got up and felt his way around the room until he reached the bed. He laid down on his side so that he was facing her.

"You okay? Did you have a nightmare or something?" Jess asked sleepily. He rubbed his eyes before closing them again. Rory could see him better now that he was closer. He wasn't wearing a shirt that was the first thing she noticed. She had never seen him without a shirt on, it intrigued her more than it should have.

"Uh, no. I just don't like being alone in a strange place." She said carefully. She was trying to ask him to sleep beside her tonight, but he was half asleep and was not getting the clues.

"Mmm, not alone, I'm here…" He mumbled. He put his arms around her, letting her rest her head on his bare chest. She smiled, and snuggled into him. She loved being in his embrace, held in his strong arms. She felt so safe. She closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.

--

The next morning, Jess slowly woke up, but his eyes stayed closed. He felt a pressure on his chest and opened his eyes to see what it was. When he saw Rory sleeping peacefully on his chest he couldn't help but smile. But how'd he get into the bed? He didn't remember getting up and going over there…had he slept walked? He put his lips up to Rory's ear.

"Rory? Are you awake?" He whispered softly. Rory rolled off of him and stretched slightly.

"I am now…" She said with a yawn. Jess sat up slightly. When Rory opened her eyes she saw Jess clearly now compared to last night. At first, she couldn't tear her eyes away from his bare chest. When she did she saw Jess's confused facial expression.

"How did I get to the bed?" He asked curiously. "I fell asleep on the couch…"

Rory laughed at his statement. He seemed so freaked. He had obviously planned on sleeping on the couch because of her. He didn't want to put her in an awkward position and now he wakes up thinking that he did.

"Yeah but I woke up, forgot where I was and asked you to come closer, because I couldn't see you. Then I asked if you'd stay because I don't like being alone in strange places." Rory explained to him. Jess nodded and got up. He grabbed his shirt and put it back on.

"Sorry about that. I didn't mean for you to have to see me indecently exposed, let alone being so close." Jess said with a smile. It was clear to Rory that he was trying his best not to scare her away. He was being careful with her, as if she were a fragile vase. She hated when people acted as if she would break…

"Jess, I'm nineteen." Rory stated with a frustrated tone. Jess's eyes widened in mock fear.

"Whoa! Calm down Ror…" He was mocking her slightly. He smiled at her.

"I just wish everyone would stop treating me like I'm five. Like I can't handle being hurt, or I can't see you shirtless! I'm just tired of it." Rory told him. His expression turned serious and he nodded, understanding what she was saying.

"I'm sorry. I was looking after you, I just don't want to screw this up." Jess looked down towards the floor. He resembled a scolded dog. Rory got up and walked over to him. She placed her hand on his cheek and made him look back up at her. They smiled lightly at each other.

Jess took her hands in his. He laced their fingers together and smiled at her. He leaned in slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull away if that was what she wanted. She didn't pull away though. Their lips crashed together into a kiss. Halfway through, Rory felt him smile into the kiss. She broke the kiss, and searched his eyes for some sort of sign. His crooked smile showed content, but it was what he said that caused her to smile back at him.

"This is perfect…Being with you is perfect." Jess spoke softly and each word was encouragement for her. She began to feel more comfortable with him, like she had back before he had left for California. Things seemed to return to where they had left off and Rory couldn't have been happier.


	3. The motel in Jersey

Rory smiled over at Jess as he drove. She couldn't stop smiling since the kiss this morning in the motel. Sure, it was just a kiss. But that kiss brought back all the feelings Rory had mentally put away. She had tried so hard to hide it all when he left. She tried to make herself seem stronger than she really was. The truth was, she hadn't moved on from him. When he left, he dragged Rory's heart with him. She tried for so long to deny it, but there it was, clear as day.

They passed a sign that read, "Welcome to New Jersey." Jess looked over to see Rory smiling at him. She had been relatively smiley all morning. They hadn't exactly talked a lot during their time in the car, they mainly listened to the radio and sang along from time to time. They had always had a much deeper connection and sometimes words were never enough.

"So where do you feel like going?" Jess asked her. They were in Jersey so the possibilities were endless. They could go to a big city, or even a beach. Whatever she felt like doing was what they'd do.

"It's Jersey. What is there to do besides go to Atlantic City, which is further south." Rory stated. She didn't exactly know much about any other states besides Connecticut and New York. She saw Jess shrug.

"We could hit the coast if you'd like." He changed lanes and turned off onto the next exit. When Rory looked at him, he answered her questioning eyes. "We need gas." He said it simply and indifferently.

"Okay well like a beach?" Her question sounded stupid. Duh. The coast usually refers to the beach. Although she couldn't picture Jess at a beach. The idea made her smile. They pulled into a gas station.

"Yeah, a beach." He said it simply. There was no tone in his voice that made her feel stupid, he was just…Jess. He got out of the car and swiped his card at the gas pump. Rory got out and went to stand next to him as he pumped the gas.

"A beach sounds good. But one close by, I'm tired of being stuck in the car." Rory said as she watched him. He was always so relaxed. The other night was the first time she had ever seen him on the verge of tears. The night when he had begged her to come with him. Jess nodded at her statement and smiled.

"If you need to go to the bathroom or something the time is now. We have about an hour until we hit the coast." Jess said it casually. He put the gas pump back in its spot and took his receipt.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Rory said as she walked off to the store. There was a bounce in her step that made Jess smile. He was glad that she was happy. He popped the trunk and beside Rory's boxes, he grabbed his black messenger bag. He flipped it open and pulled out a long black box. He opened the box and caught a glance of the necklace that gleamed inside. He had bought it from Liz. She had been getting serious with making jewelry and when he saw the necklace, he thought of Rory. He hadn't been able to bring himself to giving it to her, not yet. But someday at sometime, he would. He promised himself that one-day it would hang from her neck, and hopefully she'd never take it off.

When he saw Rory coming from out of the store, he stashed the box back into his bag and slammed the trunk. He gave her a small smile.

"Ready?" Jess asked, his eyes hopeful that she wouldn't be suspicious. Rory had picked up on something there but she could tell it was something she wasn't supposed to know, so she nodded.

"Yup. Let's go!" She opened the passenger door.

"Wait. Do you think maybe you could drive? I'll tell you which way to go." Jess looked like he was in pain. He had his hand on the back of his neck. Rory nodded.

"Sure." She went over to the drivers seat and got in. She started the car and pulled back out onto the highway.

They had been driving for a while. She was driving slowly compared to everyone else. Jess laughed.

"Ugh! Jess, I hate your car!" She yelled it at him, not meaning to sound as whiney as she knew she did. Jess just laughed again. "Stupid piece of crap car." Rory mumbled under her breath but Jess heard her and smiled.

"It was all I could afford." He said plainly. He brought his hand back up to his neck and rubbed it slightly.

"I know, I know." Rory griped. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him rub his neck. "Are you okay?" she asked him in a more worried tone.

"Yeah, it's just been sore today…" He said it quietly. "Turn at this next exit." He told her, pointing to the right.

--

It didn't take long for Jess to find a motel on the beach. It seemed to be a fairly easy task for him. Rory figured that Jess had probably traveled more than she had; therefore he knew what he was doing.

They got settled into the motel room relatively quickly. Jess had even brought in some of Rory's boxes, the ones that had her clothes and necessities in them. He had also brought in his own bags, his messenger bag and duffel bag. After he carried it all in, he collapsed onto the bed and groaned. Rory could tell that he was sore and tired so she decided to let him sleep. She'd wake him up in a couple of hours and they could relax and actually have some time to talk and be together. It sounded like a good idea to her, so she watched him perceptively as he dozed off.


	4. You give my life meaning

**AN: Okay well this story seems to be going well. I have been updating frequently which is normally odd for me. However, this story is getting tons of great reviews, so why not? Keep reviewing and I will see what I can do about having another chapter up by tomorrow :)**

Jess opened his eyes slowly waking up. It was fairly dark except for a lamp. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. He glanced over at the clock. It was only seven. It was then that he wondered where Rory was. He looked around, panic-stricken. Where could she be? He stood up and turned on another light.

"Rory…?" He called out shakily. It was obvious that he had just woken up. His heart was beating fast for no apparent reason. Maybe it was because Rory was out of his sight. That's when he noticed the light shining from under the bathroom door. He leaned on the door and knocked, awaiting an answer of sorts.

"Rory…?" He called out again. As soon as he said it, the door swung open. There stood Rory. She was wearing a dark red shirt with a pair of blue jeans. She was drying her hair with a white towel that he guessed was the motels. Her damp hair made him smile as he remembered the time he had helped her with the sprinklers.

"Jess," She said his name so beautifully, "I didn't know you were awake." Jess nodded at her statement. Rory smiled and brushed past him. He pretended not to feel a spark as she passed. He turned around and watched her stumble around the motel room looking for something.

"What are you looking for?" Jess kept his voice even, trying not to give away anything. He felt like himself when he was with Rory, but sometimes he didn't want her to know every thought that went through his head.

"My brush…" Rory said absently. She hadn't noticed Jess's eyes holding back. Jess was sure that she always knew when he was hiding something. She knew him more than most.

"By the TV." Jess said casually. Rory smiled as she picked up the brush and ran it through her hair. "So what's the occasion?" He asked her smartly. She looked nice. He noticed that she was trying, on some level, to impress him.

"Well since it's the first week of summer, there is a major beach party down by the pool. Figured we'd check it out." Rory said smiling. She bounced back over to him. They were about a foot away, he noticed. She looked up at him and searched his eyes for an answer. He nodded.

"Sounds good." Jess said with a small smile. Rory squealed and wrapped her arms around him, bringing him into a hug. Jess let his arms fall around her. Her embrace made him feel closer to her than he had before.

"You won't regret it, I promise!" Rory said happily. "Get dressed!" She picked up his duffel bag and dragged it over to him, then she turned and went back into the bathroom to continue getting ready.

Jess shed his leather jacket and threw it onto the bed. He looked through his clothes and pulled out a pair of dark jeans and a navy blue button-up shirt. He wanted to look nice for Rory. He pulled off his pants and replaced them with the jeans; he then did the same with his shirt. As he began buttoning up his shirt, Rory came out of the bathroom.

"Jess do you need to…" She let her sentence trail off as she looked at him. It was clear that she was checking him out. This made Jess a little nervous. He decided to continue buttoning up his shirt so that maybe they could avoid any awkwardness. He tried to focus on his shirt, but he couldn't help but steal a few glances at Rory who was trying to remember what she was going to say. Jess smirked as he reached the last button.

"Do you need to use the bathroom?" She asked, finally getting the words out. Jess smiled and nodded.

"Yeah." He went into the bathroom and decided to brush his teeth and shave his face. He noticed that while he was asleep, Rory had arranged all of his stuff on a shelf above the sink. He smiled. _This is going to be a fun night. _Jess thought to himself. He knew that tonight he'd get them back to the way they were. He decided that tonight, he'd make an effort; he'd talk in complete sentences and remind her why they were perfect together. After all, she did come with him…

--

Rory and Jess sat at a white plastic table as music played in the background. Around them, teenagers were drinking and dancing, some were even swimming. Jess smiled at Rory, and she smiled back.

"So how's Yale treating you?" Jess asked lightly. He figured that they had to start someplace.

"It's good. It was hard until I got my grounding though. What about you? What have you been up to since I last saw you?" Rory asked. Jess thought about what he had been doing since he had made that big mistake.

"Well, to be honest, I was in conflict with myself for a while. I didn't sleep much and that gave me a lot of time to think about my life…" Jess said trailing off. Rory nodded, knowing that there was more.

"And what did you discover?" She asked curiously. Jess smiled at her persistence.

"I discovered that without you, my life didn't have meaning. You showed me that life was worth living and I knew that if I could just get you back to me, everything would be okay again." He stopped and looked down slightly. He was somewhat worried about what she'd think about what he had said.

Rory jumped out of her chair and went over to Jess. She sat down in his lap and in one swift movement, she kissed him. Jess was surprised at first but quickly began kissing her back. He wrapped his arms around her and moved forward in eagerness to deepen the kiss, but just as he did, Rory pulled away. The grin on her face was huge, like she had jump won a million bucks. Jess shot her his crooked smile, before his face turned serious again.

"Rory…I love you." He spoke the words carefully and added more feeling into it than anticipated. He had said it before, but he had walked away when she didn't answer immeadiatly. It wasn't until after the fact that he realized that he should have waited for a response of some kind. He searched her killer blue eyes for a sign or a hesitation. There was nothing but love awaiting him in her eyes that night.

"I-I…I love you too, Jess." Rory spoke the words much like Jess had except once they were out a single tear fell down her face. Jess noticed it and quickly wiped it away with his thumb. Rory laughed lightly and Jess smiled at her, still holding her tightly in his arms.

"Let's go get a couple of drinks." Jess said cheerfully after a few moments of comfortable silence. Rory reluctantly got off his lap and smiled in agreement. Tonight she felt like she had truly fulfilled his proclamation, _Come with me._ She knew that now she was actually with him.


	5. The question

Rory and Jess stumbled drunkly into the motel room, laughing. They had been talking and just listening to music all night. It was nearly midnight, but neither of them noticed. Rory hadn't drunk as much as Jess; she was merely tipsy whereas Jess was certainly drunk. They crashed down onto the bed, still laughing.

"My life; you electrify my life; Let's conspire to ignite; all the souls that would die just to feel alive…" Jess sang the song at the top of his lungs as Rory laughed. "I'll never let you go; if you promise not to fade away; Never fade away" After that he decided to stop singing. He couldn't really remember the rest of the lyrics anyway. Rory smiled at him.

"What song was that anyway?" She asked him softly. Jess smiled at her.

"Starlight by: Muse" He said with a smile. He laid back onto the bed. "That song is my song for you, maybe. I don't know I might change my mind later…" He trailed off and they sat in a comfortable silence. After awhile Jess sat up.

"I feel weird…" He stated, placing his hand on his chest. Rory nodded looking at him.

"You're drunk." She said knowingly. She noticed that her buzz had worn off. Jess was fun when he was drunk; she made a mental note of that.

"I've never been drunk before…." Jess said nonchalantly, still wearing that small smile on his face.

"I don't believe that." Rory scoffed. Jess shrugged.

"That's your right I guess…" He said carefully. He stood up and took off his shirt. Rory watched him surprised.

"Jess? What are you doing?" She asked him timidly. She had then seriously hoped that 'fun drunk Jess' wouldn't turn into anything bad. She had heard of drunken men abusing and raping without even realizing what they've done.

"I'm tired. I'm getting ready for bed." He spoke indifferently and Rory let out a sigh of relief. She watched as Jess toyed around with his jeans. She stood up in front of him.

"Here, let me help you…" Rory said quietly. She unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans for him. Jess slid them off. She suddenly looked at him, _really_ looked at him. He was so built for being so thin. No wonder he was always beating kids up in high school…he was strong.

"Thanks…" He said as he crawled into bed. Rory changed out of her clothes and into a pair of pants and one of Jess's t-shirts. She smiled when she glanced over at the bed and saw him sleeping.

"Rory?" Jess mumbled peacefully. "Stay with me…" He drifted back to sleep before Rory could even answer. She crawled into bed beside him and smiled, kissing his cheek softly.

"I love you…" She spoke the three words, knowing that Jess was already fast asleep. She knew that she could go on like this forever. Being with him all the time sounded perfect to her…just perfect. She dozed off to sleep.

--

The morning sun peaked through the window, undeniably waking up Jess. He opened his eyes and let out a groan. He immeadiatly put his hand on his head in hopes to stop the throbbing headache. He pulled the blankets back and realized he was in his boxers. Sure, at home that's how he slept, but with Rory right beside him? He looked over at Rory. He saw that she was wearing his shirt. "What happened last night?" He mused aloud to nobody in particular.

Rory had woken up when she heard Jess groan. She realized that his hangover officially started now. According to Jess, last night was the first time he'd ever been drunk. If that was true, he was in for a long day of being hung over. Rory remembered the feeling and shuddered. When she heard Jess ask the question she decided to answer.

"You got drunk." She said bluntly. Jess let out another groan.

"I've never been drunk. I drink, yeah, but drunk…?" He trailed off shaking his head slightly. Rory nodded.

"Yeah it's okay I got you safely into bed." She didn't notice but she must have been speaking emotionlessly because Jess sat up, getting worried.

"I didn't hurt you did I? I mean I don't remember much but I didn't…I didn't…" He trailed off. Rory looked at him curiously.

"You didn't what?" Rory asked him, sitting up to meet his gaze.

"I didn't…" Jess had a panicked tone to his voice. "I didn't _force_ you to do anything, did I?" He had put emphasis on the word 'force' He talked as if he were disgusted with himself. Rory shook her head.

"Of course not…" Rory said softly. She rested her hand on his chest and leaned in to kiss him. He kissed her back loving. When they pulled away he smiled and got up.

Rory watched him as he wandered aimlessly around the room. Rory laughed when he finally found the Asprin. She watched him take two. He returned to his spot next to her and smiled tenderly. She leaned in and kissed him again. This time, when he moved to deepen it, Rory let him. She kissed him deeply until he broke away to kissed her neck.

"Jess," Rory spoke softly, enjoying every moment of what was going on.

"Hmm?" Jess asked almost inaudibly before he began sucking on her neck slightly. She let a moan escape her mouth, much to Jess's delight. She pushed up on Jess' chin so that he was looking at her. She gave him a soft smile and he returned it with a happy grin.

"I need to ask you a question," She stated uncertainly. Jess nodded for her to continue. She took a deep breath and decided to ask the question that had been in her mind since she had gotten into the car with him, "Are we ever going back home? To Stars Hollow?"

**AN: Low and behold, my first cliffhanger. I not one for leaving my readers hanging because I personally hate it but it's made for good drama, right? Read and Review!!**


	6. You didn't do anything

**AN: Welcome to the dramatic chapter. I'm sure you'll enjoy it at least a little. The next chapter should be more of them getting to know each other better. They'll talk and discover new things that they never knew…**

**Thanks for all the great reviews!!**

Jess stared at Rory. He knew in his heart that this question would come one day, but he didn't think it would be so soon. Was she tired of him already? She was ready to go back to that crazy ass town with her mother that hated him? He slowly got up out of the bed and went to the foot of the bed where he picked up his jeans and began to put them back on.

"Jess? What are you doing?" Rory asked suddenly. She couldn't believe that he would just ignore her question, so what was he doing? Was he leaving? She looked at him with worried eyes.

"We're not discussing your mother in bed." He stated it quietly and seriously. He sounded almost angry for reasons that Rory didn't understand. Jess pulled his shirt on and leaned up against the wall that faced the bed.

"Who said anything about my mother?" Rory questioned testily. She was on the verge on getting angry.

"I know you've been calling her." Jess spoke in the same tone he had before. It was low and rough. He sounded as if he was angry at her, but trying to hide it. Maybe he was.

"Okay, yes I called her a couple times to let her know I was safe. But so what?" Rory asked, trying to get him to release his real problem with the situation.

"So, you're ready to go home. You're ready to leave me behind." Jess tried to keep his voice level, but he felt it quiver on his last word. He didn't want his voice to break but he was afraid it would eventually. It was only a matter of time.

"I never said that!" Rory yelled getting angry. Jess' hand immediately flew to his head in pain from his headache, but Rory ignored it and continued. "I asked if we were ever going back to Stars Hollow! You don't exactly have a plan for us!"

"I didn't make you leave, Rory. You wanted to come, it was your choice. You came and if you want to go back then go!" He felt himself get angry with himself more than her. "Just go, if that's what you want, then go!" He finally felt his voice crack. It made him sound as if he were about to cry, which he hated. But at this point, he wondered if maybe he would shed a tear. Seemed like this would be the time to do it.

"I chose you! God knows why but I did! I wanted to come but I thought that in the end, you had some sort of plan." Rory yelled heatedly. She didn't want to; she just wanted to take it back. She wanted to take back asking that question and start over.

"I _am_ thinking of one. At first, my only plan was to be with you, but now…" Jess had calmed down and spoke softly this time. Rory stopped arguing with him. Partly because she had nothing to say, but partly because he was so sad…so broken.

Jess grabbed his jacket and turned towards the door. "I've got to clear my head…" He shot her the lame excuse but this time it was true. He needed to work things out for himself. He needed to be able to think…

"Jess," She said his name warningly, causing him to freeze, still facing the door. "Will you be back or are you going to bolt again?" The words came out harsher than she meant them too and Jess looked down with hurt eyes that he hid from Rory. He sighed and without looking at her he turned the knob.

"I'll be back…" He spoke softly and sadly as he disappeared behind the door. As soon as the door closed behind him, Rory felt the hot tears run down her face. She put her face in her hands and cried.

Jess walked down near the motel pool. He leaned up against the fencing and pulled a cigarette from his pocket. He stuck it in his mouth with the full intention of smoking it, but then he saw her face. He saw Rory like a perfect picture in his head and he reluctantly pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and returned it unsmoked into his pocket. His mind began to race is the crisp air. Maybe Rory is right. Maybe he should take her back…she belongs in Stars Hollow. But then he's right back where he started…alone and without her. And then what would he do…?

--

Jess was frozen where he was even an hour later. His mind was racing with thoughts of Rory. He stared at his shoes, but didn't really see them. So he didn't notice when someone walked up to him.

"Jess?" Rory spoke softly. She made his name sound angelic. Jess was abruptly brought out of his daze. As soon as he looked up at her, he realized that at some point he must have been crying. He wiped his face with his sleeve, making him feel more childish than he thought it would.

"Jess, I'm sorry…" Rory said softly. She realized that he had been crying and that made her feel worse. She had built it up in her head that the entire fight was her fault. The tears she had shed were nothing compared to the ones Jess had shed. She had never seen a single tear roll down Jess Mariano's face, so when he cried, you know he was in a bad place.

"You didn't do anything…" Jess spoke quietly, his voice raw from not speaking for so long. He shook his head as he remembered the last time he had said that to her. It had been the last time he was upset. He had just discovered that he wasn't going to graduate, and at the party he had tried to channel his anger. He ended up hurting Rory and she ran off crying "_I don't know what I did…"_ He had said it then but she hadn't heard it. Tonight he said it again and prayed that she'd believe him. All he had were those four words…

A tear rolled down Rory's face and Jess wiped it away with his thumb. She nodded at Jess's statement. He put his arm out and pulled her into him. She cried quietly into his shoulder and he felt a few lone tears run down his face as well.

"You didn't do anything." He repeated more confidently. His voice had broken and he smiled softly at her. She pulled away to look at him. This time she wiped a tear from his face. Jess laughed lightly and cupped her face in his hands. He pulled her in and kissed her slowly and gently. When the kiss ended, Jess rested his forehead on Rory's.

"I'm sorry Ror. I over-reacted because I thought you wanted to leave me…" Jess spoke carefully and slowly, trying to keep himself from breaking down again. Rory's hands found his and held them tight.

"When I mentioned going home, I meant us, you and me, together." Rory spoke in the same manner. She kissed him delicately to reassure him of how she felt. "I love you…" She said amorously. Jess smiled.

"I love you too. I always will." Jess spoke quietly but lovingly. He raised his right hand up and stroked her cheek soothingly. Rory Gilmore was the only girl he ever chased. She was the only girl he ever wanted. She was the only girl he ever loved. Rory Gilmore was the one and at that moment he knew it…


	7. Fall into Your Sunlight

**AN: I think that this chapter had a lot to do with them understanding each other and being able to trust each other. Reviews are greatly appreciated so don't hold back. (and yes Trading Yesterday is the name of a band. Credit goes to them)**

Rory and Jess sat out on the beach looking out at the Atlantic Ocean. It was a beautiful day, perfect for the big day the young couple had in front of them. Today they agreed to cross a new bridge in their relationship. They were going to talk. They were going to ask and answer each others questions openly. Jess had decided that this was that they really needed. Ever since he had showed up on her doorstep with the offer to come with him, they had misunderstood each other in every way possible. They didn't remember how to trust each others hearts like they had before. Today was their new beginning, their fresh start. Both sat in a comfortable silence as they thought of questions.

"You're so much different. What happened in California?" Rory had mustered up the courage to ask the first question. It was a reasonable question. Jess knew that he wasn't that same bad boy that Stars Hollow knew and despised. He often tried to pass it off as being a phase that he had simply outgrown, but he had promised himself that he wouldn't lie to Rory.

"Well I wasn't in California for long, but when I was there I had so much going on in my head that I decided to write it out. I started writing in a notebook, all of my thoughts and stuff. When I got back to New York, I worked until I earned enough money for a laptop. When I did I began to write my story, the story of how I got to be the broken man I was." Jess paused as he remembered the days he wouldn't move from his mattress on the floor in an apartment he shared with five other guys. He would sit there and type the words of his story all day. "I found that writing eased my soul. When I wrote it all out, I was able to clearly know what I wanted and what I didn't. It didn't take long for me to know that all I wanted was you, but it took awhile for me to build up the courage to come to you."

Jess broke he gaze from the ocean and glanced over at Rory. She looked shocked. He was normally so quiet but today he had promised to talk. To tell his story if that's what she wanted to know.

"You wrote a book?" She asked, taken aback. Jess Mariano was writing? He sorted out his emotions through writing? That was the last thing she'd ever expect to hear from him, Mr. monosyllabic speaking in full sentences _and _writing books? Even Lorelai would be impressed.

"Not exactly a book. More like a short novel." Jess chuckled as he corrected her. He knew she was shocked. He was even surprised when he finished it. He had considered sending it to Rory, or even setting it on fire, but eventually he decided to send it to the damn publishers. At the time, he had thought, '_Maybe they'd help decide what to do with a whiny emotional book…'_

"Jess, that's amazing. I knew that you could do something incredible if you'd just sit done and do it. You have a great brain, Jess, you always have. It's wired unlike anyone else's…" Rory ranted and raved about Jess until he decided to cut her off.

"Well someone once told me that I could do more and I figured, why not?" Jess said with a small smile. He remembered the first edition copy of his book that he had in his messenger bag. He had it for her. When he was ready for her to know his story, she could read it. Rory smiled, Jess took her silence as it being his turn to ask a question.

"I know I'm tempting fate by asking but… what made you decide to come with me?" Jess asked inquisitively. She had said no so many times as he spoke to her that night. What made her change her mind? He heard Rory take a deep breath and watched her look back out across the horizon.

"It was what you said. You told me to only say no if I didn't want to be with you and that made me think. I thought about what I really wanted. I didn't chase you when you went to California, and I hadn't acted when you told me you loved me. I figured that this might be my last chance…fate was telling me to take this chance." Rory finished her rant with a huff of breath, making Jess smile.

"Fate, huh?" Jess asked with a familiar smirk. Rory nodded.

"Don't mock, you know fate brought us here." Rory said, laughing lightly. She loved that they were getting back to where they used to be. They sat in a comfortable silence until Jess spoke.

"We are going back to Stars Hollow. It's where you belong and if that means that I have to get on better terms with them then consider it done. I just want to be with you, Rory." Jess spoke softly and glanced over at her with a small smile playing on his face. Rory took his hand in hers. She wanted to say thank you, she wanted to kiss him, but instead she said nothing. She gave him a genuine smile that seemed to talk for her. When she was with Jess, all her words could be silenced and he still seemed to understand what was going through her mind.

"You know what I love most about you?" Rory asked him with a smile. He shook his head and she continued, "It's like with you, I don't have to say a word but you always seem to understand what's on my mind." She said it dreamily and Jess laughed lightly.

"Our unspoken bond?" He mocked her, smiling.

"Jess!" She laughed and hit him playfully, "You know what I mean!" She smiled as he nodded his head in understandment. He always understood.

"So what do you love most about me?" Rory asked him lightheartedly. She turned to face him, her smile shining through his world. He smiled and looked out over the ocean where the sky had turned a brilliant array of colors awaiting the sunset.

"I love how just your smile can make my day; and how you can make my worst day my best with just your touch. I love how when you're near, I can't be happier…I love the man you make me." Jess spoke softly and listened to the waves break before he turned to look back into her deep blue eyes. Rory brought her hand to his cheek and stroked it gently before leaning in and kissing him lovingly. He kissed her back but reluctantly pulled away. He stood up and held out his hand to help her up.

"I have something I want to show you." He said with his authentic crooked, Jess Mariano, smile. They began to walk down the shoreline until they were behind the motel. They made their way back into the dim room. Jess flipped on the light and picked up his messenger bag, laying it onto the bed. He pulled out a thin book and handed it to Rory, his coffee brown eyes hopeful.

Rory took the book in her hands and smiled as she read the title aloud. "Trading Yesterday… by Jess Mariano?" She said it as a question but he knew it was pure shock. "So not only did you write a book but you got it published?" She asked still in shock.

"It was either get it published or burn it. Decided that the guys at the publishing house could do what they want with it." Jess shrugged at his own thought process. He only sent it to the publishers so that he could impress Rory. He just wanted her to be proud of him for once. She was right all along; he _could_ do more if he had applied himself. He looked over at Rory who stood in front of him, flipping through the book.

"Jess this is amazing the story starts on-" Rory started but he interrupted her.

"-my first day in Stars Hollow." He finished for her with a smile playing on his face. Rory smiled and looked up at him.

"So what is your favorite paragraph from your book?" Rory asked with hopeful eyes. Jess smiled and decided he'd surprise her by complying for once.

"_My life has been defined by mistakes, wrong decisions, wrong choice; but I can try to do the right thing now. I can return and apologize for my mistakes; I can hope that she forgives me. If I'm lucky, if I'm the luckiest man in the world, one day she will decide to trust me with her heart again. If that ever happens, I'll know it was fate; that she and I were meant to be." _Jess spoke each word from memory. It was written at the end of his book; on the last page perhaps. He knew that it was the paragraph that would show Rory who he was and how he felt about his mistakes. The entire book was an insight on his life. He said that he wrote it for himself, to write out his story, but he had written it for her so that she would know who he was.

For the first time today, they locked eyes. Coffee brown met ice blue and every memory came rushing back. Jess always believed that this kind of interaction was one made to get a glimpse of another's soul, but all he saw was heart. He knew that he and Rory shared something, a connection that no one else would ever know. No one else would ever understand what they had. They had everything and until today they had been too blind to see what was in front of them all along. Love had come through all the heartbreak, hate, and arguments.


	8. Tonight its just you and me

Rory and Jess stood where they were, their eyes still locked. Neither made a move neither said a word. They stood in silence until Jess smiled affectionately at her then tore his eyes away from hers and focused on the ground. Rory kept looking at him with the same expression of seriousness on her face.

"I trust you…" Rory muttered quietly. Jess looked back up at her. "I do trust you with my heart…I do." She spoke softly, avoiding eye contact with him. Jess took a step towards her and smiled.

"You should read my book." He took another step towards her. "Then you'll understand how I feel…how I always felt." He took yet another step, leaving her mere inches from her. He leaned in and kissed her passionately.

Rory wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. Almost instantly, Jess wrapped his hands around her waist and continued the kiss. They began to inch towards the bed but neither knew who was moving them in that direction. Jess laid her gently on the bed and hovered over her, still kissing her, only breaking the kiss when air was necessary. As they kissed, Rory moved her hands down his chest and tugged at his shirttail. Jess pulled away and looked into her deep blue eyes.

"Are you sure?" Jess asked carefully. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel like she _had_ to do this. He wanted her to want this all on her own like he did. Rory nodded shyly.

"It'll be my first time…" Rory said nervously. She figured that Jess knew, but she wanted to make sure that he did. Jess smiled and kissed her cheek softly. He moved his lips to her ear.

"Mine too." He whispered softly in her ear, his warm breath made her shiver. She smiled as his lips met hers again. She tugged at his shirt again and he pulled it off throwing it to the floor. Neither of them could help but smile at their situation as they got tangled up in each other, enjoying this perfect moment.

--

Jess and Rory laid on the motel bed side by side catching their breath. Rory looked over at Jess and smiled at him. Jess caught her glance and leaned in, kissing the corner of her lips.

"So," Rory was nearly always the first to speak. Jess smiled in anticipation waiting for what she'd say. "What we did here…perfect." Jess laughed lightly and Rory joined him.

"Perfect is an understatement." Jess said simply. He let his hands toy with the covers. He couldn't remember a time where things were this perfect. Everything he had ever wanted was here. He looked into her blue eyes. They were so deep and knowing, he knew after a few moments, what had to be done. They would have to return to Stars Hollow. He'd have to fight with the townsfolk all over again. It would be his job to get them to trust him, he'd have t get Lorelai to trust him…when he looked back over at Rory, she was sleeping. He draped his arm over her and held her close.

"I'd do anything for you…" He mumbled quietly as he drifted off to sleep.

--

Jess woke up a start. He heard a noise and saw a faint light across the room. He quietly got up and walked to the light. It was Rory's cell phone. He picked it up and answered it in a quiet, husky voice.

"Hello?" He spoke softly into the phone as he stumbled around the room, looking for his clothes. He picked up his jeans and slid them on.

"Jess. You little jerk, why are you answering Rory's phone, I-" Lorelai's voice was loud and angry.

"Hold on just a second Lorelai…" Jess whispered quietly into the phone. He looked over at Rory who was still asleep. He slipped quietly out of the motel room and outside. "Continue." He said evenly.

"Jess, where are you guys? Where is Rory?" Lorelai asked frantically. She had been trying to shake the location out of Rory for days but couldn't understand why she wouldn't tell her.

"We're in Jersey. Rory is sleeping, I didn't want to wake her so I answered the phone." He spoke calmly with Lorelai, something he never thought he'd be able to do. "I was hoping it was you."

Lorelai listened to him. This didn't seem like Jess. She half wondered if this was even him. "Why were you hoping it'd be me?" Lorelai asked curiously.

"Because I wanted to tell you that I'm bringing her home in the morning, back to Stars Hollow. She doesn't know it yet, but I bringing her home." He looked out at the ocean. The wind blew and he felt chilly, wishing that he had his shirt on. With the night came a cold front…he shivered and leaned up against the railing.

Lorelai hesitated. "Thank you Jess…" She finally said. She had missed Rory and felt like he was keeping her from her.

Jess smiled at Lorelai's voice thanking him. Maybe things would work out after all. "Yeah so be sure to get her room ready for us, you know make a cot for me. We should be there around dinnertime. We can meet at Luke's if you'd like."

Lorelai was caught off guard by his comment. "Wait. You think you're staying here? In Stars Hollow, in my house, with Rory?" She questioned him. He couldn't possibly think that she'd let him stay with them after all of this, could he?

Jess smirked to himself. "Yeah, I will be staying there for a while. Until I find an apartment in New Haven near Yale…" He tried to speak evenly. He didn't want her to know how amused he was with the situation. He heard her scoff.

"D-Does Rory know about your little plan?" Lorelai stuttered. There was no way Jess was this stupid. He had broken her heart and now he was going to torture her like this?

"Not yet, but I don't think she'd protest over having her boyfriend living close by…" Jess mused aloud with a light laugh. He listened to the silence before he grinned, ear to ear. "Goodnight Lorelai, see you tomorrow." He shut the phone and shoved it into his jeans pocket. As the wind blew, he shivered and went back into the motel room. He slipped back into bed beside Rory. She moved closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Mmm where were you?" She mumbled softly. Jess smiled.

"I'll tell you in the morning…go back to sleep." He said quietly. Before he knew it, he himself had drifted back to sleep. Nothing was going to wake him up this time. Tonight might be his last full night of sleep for a few days. Stars Hollow had never been his favorite place to fall asleep.


End file.
